MASS MEDIA – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

Turnbull to open way for media mergers

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 7 : 2-Dec-15

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has told a private meeting of Coalition MPs that he is keen to abolish the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule". The Federal Government may formally reveal its position on cross-media ownership reforms before the end of 2015, although with Parliament about to rise for the summer break any such changes will be on hold until 2016. The Opposition supports scrapping the reach rule, although it has not yet declared its stance on the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT

Delay on rules for ownership

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 30-Nov-15

Cabinet ministers may discuss proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws in the week after Parliament rises for the summer break, but any reforms will now not proceed until February 2016. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield had hoped to put the reforms to cabinet before the end of the parliamentary year. Meanwhile, Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks argues that TV broadcasting licence fees must be included in the reforms, which are centred on the "reach rule" and the "two-out of-three rule".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, BAUER MEDIA KG, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, COMCAST CORPORATION, SONY CORPORATION, TIME WARNER INCORPORATED, VIACOM INCORPORATED

Media reform debate could go to the wire

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 23-Nov-15

The Australian Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws may still be discussed by cabinet before parliament rises for the year, although other issues are likely to take priority in the coming week. Meanwhile, pay-TV group Foxtel has proposed removing sports events such as the FA Cup and the US Masters Golf from the anti-siphoning list. Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association chairman Tony Shepherd has also advocated changes to the list.

CORPORATES
FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND RADIO ASSOCIATION (ASTRA) INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Scrap outdated media laws: Seven boss

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 19 : 19-Nov-15

Seven Group chairman Kerry Stokes has called for the Australian Government to take action on TV broadcasting licence fees and increase the producer offset for TV drama as part of its changes to media industry regulation. He supports abolition of the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule", but argues that these changes must be part of a broader package of reforms. However, Stokes favours retaining the anti-siphoning list for broadcasting sports.

CORPORATES
SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Government to debate media reform format

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 18-Nov-15

The Australian Government’s proposed cross-media ownership reforms are expected to be presented to cabinet in late November 2015. The Government is initially expected to focus on scrapping the so-called "reach rule" and the "two-out-of-three rule", but it is still to decide whether to pursue both reforms in a single bill or put two separate bills to Parliament. The Opposition favours abolishing the reach rule, although there is less support for scrapping the two-out-of-three rule.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Media reform beyond ‘reach’

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 2 : 17-Nov-15

The focus of the Australian Government’s upcoming media reforms were tipped to be the so-called "reach rule". However, it is believed to be planning to also abolish the "two-out-of-three rule" in a reform package that is expected to be unveiled in late November 2015. Australian media groups are concerned that failure to fully abolish cross-media laws would provide rivals such as video-on-demand providers with a competitive advantage. The Government’s media reforms are likely to be dependent on the support of cross-bench senators.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN

Turnbull moves to dump reach rule

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Original article by Darren Davidson, Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 9-Nov-15

The issue of changes to cross-media ownership laws is expected to be the agenda for federal cabinet ministers in coming weeks, with the "reach rule" likely to be scrapped. Communications Minister Mitch Fifield also favours abolishing the "two-out-of-three" rule, although this may be opposed by the Australian Labor Party. The government is also believed to have agreed to abolish TV broadcasters’ licence fees, as the emergence of subscription video-on-demand services has reduced the value of these licences.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Media curbs need review, Sims says

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-Nov-15

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims argues that the advent of the internet and live streaming of TV content means the "reach rule" and the "two out of three rule" may no longer be relevant. However, Sims says anti-siphoning regulations for sports broadcasts may still be necessary to preserve competition in the TV industry, noting that companies such as Yahoo! and YouTube have begun live streaming of sports events in the US.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, YAHOO! INCORPORATED, YOUTUBE INCORPORATED, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION, INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, RBB ECONOMICS LLP, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Government prepares to move on reach rule

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Original article by Dominic White, Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 2-Nov-15

The Australian Government is believed to be planning to legislate to abolish the so-called "reach rule" before the end of 2015. However, it is uncertain whether scrapping the "two-out-of-three" rule is also on the agenda at present. The Government’s proposed changes to cross-media ownership laws have some support within the Australian Labor Party, although there are some concerns within both the Opposition and the Australian Greens about the impact on media diversity if the "two-out-of-three" rule is abolished.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, PALMER UNITED PARTY, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, IMPARJA TELEVISION PTY LTD

Alarm bells for Aussie drama

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Original article by Michael Bodey
The Australian – Page: 29 : 2-Nov-15

Australia’s free-to-air commercial networks are increasingly relying on New Zealand dramas to meet local-content quotas. Screen Producers Australia CEO Matt Deaner and Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason argue that the rules should be changed so NZ content does not qualify as first-run Australian drama. They have also called for the TV producer offset to be increased to 40 per cent.

CORPORATES
SCREEN PRODUCERS AUSTRALIA, SCREEN AUSTRALIA, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)